A letter should also have been sent advising parents of their child's school allocation; this includes those who applied late or used a paper application form.

Gloucestershire County Council advise on their website: "That you accept the allocated school place as this in no way affects any request to go on the waiting list or appeal for an alternative school place but does ensure that your child has a school place for September 2019."

However, if parents are unhappy with their allocation, they can appeal.

A Gloucestershire Country Council spokesman said: "This year a total of 6508 Gloucestershire children have been offered a primary school place for September, with 98 percent being offered a place at one of their preferred schools. 92 percent of pupils also received a place at their first preference school, which represents an increase of four percent on last year.

"On Tuesday 16 April, parents of pupils starting primary school in Gloucestershire this September were offered a place for their child. 98 per cent of pupils were offered one of their preferences, and 92 per cent were offered their first choice of school. Parents now have until 29 April to accept their school place or request an alternative school."

Happy with allocation?

Parents and carers who applied online received an email confirming their school place and they will be able to accept the place online. Parents and carers who did not apply online will receive a letter including the place on offer and the reasons why. This letter is specific to each pupil and contains an explanation for the decision made. More information about school admissions is available atwww.gloucestershire.gov.uk/schooladmissions.

Parents are encouraged to accept their place online or return their reply forms as soon as possible.

Not happy?

If you are not happy with the school that your child has been allocated you can request to go on a waiting list of your preferred school/s or If parents ask for their child's school place to be reconsidered, they will be placed on the waiting list for their preferred schools. If places then become available as some parents change their preferences over the coming months, they will be offered a place in line with the school’s admission policy.

Parents unhappy with their initial offer are encouraged to keep their place as this will ensure that, whatever the outcome of the reconsideration, their child will have a place at a school in September.

The county council will write to parents with the result of the reconsideration after 15 May and parents will have until the 29 May to reply. Those who are still not satisfied with their given school will be advised of the appeals procedure.

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How to appeal

Parents are entitled to appeal against the council's decision to refuse your child a place.

Details of how to appeal will be included in the offer letter or notification sent to parents.

However, not wanting your child to go to the school is not a valid enough reason. Parents will need to show there is something wrong with the decision, or a specific reason why it would be unreasonable to send the child to the school they have been allocated.

An appeal will need to be lodged for each decision you wish to challenge; full details can be found on the county council website.

The deadline for an appeal is outlined below.

Key dates

Tuesday April 16 2019: Allocation Day

Monday April 29 2019: Closing date to return reply form accepting the School or Academy place, or requesting to be added to a waiting list

Wednesday May 15 2019: Letters sent from this date advising outcome of waiting list requests

Wednesday May 29 2019: Closing date for return of reply forms

June-July 2019: Appeals

Are you happy with your allocation? Let us know, you can send an email to phillip.thompson@reachplc.com